Last night as I’m working on my blog and editing photos, I suddenly hear a whoosh of water and look to the ceiling for the burst pipe. I then realize that it’s in fact the person in the room next to me having a shower. Apparently the walls are a little thin. I feel like yelling out,
You need me to scrub your back?!
Sleep eludes me once again due to the slab of marble they call a bed that I slept on, so I take advantage of the predawn for photos. I look out my window and I see the Duomo backdropped against a glowing purple and pink sky. The streets are empty and I have the main square and the Duomo to myself.
Back at the hotel I enter the 4’ x 3’ elevator and proceed to my floor. The elevator stops but nothing happens. I feel a flutter of fear in my chest at the thought of being stuck inside this tiny box. I press the button again and nothing happens. Oh god, get me out of here. I press the button again and happen to glance behind me. The door is open and I can see my floor🤦🏼♀️. Sigh, lack of sleep is clearly impairing my brain function.
I decide to stop at a couple of towns on my way to Saturnia and choose Pienza and Montepulciano. I manage to get myself out of the centre of Siena, but then can’t seem to get out of Siena itself. My GPS is telling me to take some wonky turns through a roundabout and I can’t figure out where the hell I’m supposed to be going. Getting frustrated I pick a direction and drive until I can find somewhere to pull over. I reset the GPS and try again. I finally get out of Siena and believe I’m headed in the right direction.
On the way to Pienza I pull over to take photos of the amazing countryside. I can’t get over the bright colour of green in the fields and hillsides. I don’t know what the crop is but I’ve never seen anything like it. Little fluffs of white dot the hills and as I get closer, I confirm it’s sheep.
Even though I’m driving 20km over the speed limit, I’ve got cars right up my ass. They veer sharply to the other lane within inches of Giuseppe’s rear bumper (giving him a scare) and race past me. No one ever honks or shakes their fist. This is just how they drive. I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised how patient they are with pedestrians within the towns and city. Everyone walks in the middle of the streets as there isn’t room on the narrow sidewalks. When you hear a vehicle, you move over. And the drivers just patiently wait while pedestrians stop in the middle of the street looking at their phones or tourists have their necks craned upwards gawking at some architecture.
I arrive in Pienza and it is the most charming, historic town. I love it! A beautiful cathedral is in the middle of the square surrounded by alleyways of stone buildings. I pass underneath an archway and find myself in a secluded courtyard. A restaurant is set for lunch and across the way a neighbour has their pants hanging out the window to dry. Pots of flowers and ornamental shrubs line a pathway to a doorway. I meander my way down another alley and find a mini grocery and bakery with a bike propped up beside the front door. It has flowers growing out of the front basket between the handlebars. I wish I could stay longer, but I’m hoping to be at Saturnia by 4pm and I need to get a move-on.
As I’m driving to Montepulciano, it begins to rain. The morning started out beautiful but it’s progressively become cloudier which is a bit of a bummer. Giuseppe’s windshield wiper blades clearly haven’t been used in awhile and are shuddering loudly across the glass. It starts raining harder and I’m hoping it’ll be a quick downpour while I’m driving and then miraculously stop once I reach my destination. No such luck.
Although it is kinda cool because the fog has drifted in and Montepulciano is up high on a hilltop, so it’s shrouded in a eerie mist. I awkwardly snap a few photos while balancing my umbrella with my chin and shoulder. I grab a quick lunch before getting back on the road to Saturnia.
My GPS had told me that it would take 1.5 hours to get to Saturnia and 2.5 hours later I’m still on the road. I swear it’s taken me the most circuitous route possible. I wanted to avoid highways, but this is ridiculous. I decide to relax and just enjoy the scenery. I’ll get there when I get there.
I arrive at B&B 8380 which is a 10 minute walk to the natural hot springs, Cascate del Mulino di Saturnia, I’m here to visit. It’s free and open 24 hours. If you’re not staying in the area, there’s a pay parking lot 100m from the entrance to the springs. I take a walk down to for a quick peak to get myself oriented as I’m planning to visit early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
The B&B is an old farmhouse surrounded by bright green fields and a front doorway framed in purple lilacs. My host, Romina, is a sweetheart and super helpful. I’m here one night before driving back to Florence to drop off Giuseppe and catch a train to Pisa.
